By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The Louisiana Legislative Auditor released the report from a recent audit of the St. John the Baptist Parish Housing Authority’s programs from the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2012, that said the agency was “unable to produce requested documents and failed to comply with federal regulations.”
According to the report, the Authority was unable to support opening balances for cash, restricted cash and capital assets. Because of this dicrepancy, the independent auditing firm, Yeager and Boyd of Birmingham, Ala., was unable to determine the accuracy of ending balances and issued a disclaimer of opinion.
Auditors cited the authority with at least 12 findings, or issues of non-compliance with federal or state regulations, many of which were cited in previous years, but left unaddressed.
One finding said that of all 23 public housing tenant files sampled by auditors and of all 21 of Housing Choice Voucher program files tested, none had background checks available. The authority is required to complete background checks on all household members over the age of 18.
Auditors said that of 21 files inspected in the Housing Choice Voucher Program, five were missing verification of tenant eligibility, five were missing approved leases and five lacked documentation showing income eligibility was re-examined.
Of 23 separate files reviewed in the public housing assistance program, eight rent receipts did not match the terms of the lease, 20 were missing annual inspection reports and seven lacked re-examination of income forms.
Auditors also said they were not able to locate records of equipment owned by the authority or proof that an inventory of equipment was performed.
The audit reports sounds dire, but Executive Director Trina Henderson said things are not as bad as they seem. Henderson admits that there has been mismanagement in previous Housing Authority administrations but has instituted many changes in response to the audit’s findings, which she said the report does not reflect. In fact, Henderson was able to respond to, or clear, many of the findings, especially those leftover from previous years.
Henderson began her administration in 2011.
“That audit report is reflective of what the auditors found. However, it doesn’t convey that we’ve been able to make major accomplishments, one of those being our internal controls,” said Henderson, regarding a 2011 finding concerning the miscalculation of housing assistance payments.
“Not only have we adopted policies, we’ve implemented those policies. Within a year’s time, we’ve been able to clear that finding. It was a major finding,” she continued.
Henderson said she also implemented a procurement procedure that will help to clear at least two deficiencies by the upcoming fiscal year. She said that there was no strong record retention policy prior to her administration.
In the Housing Authority’s defense, Henderson said the agency has been working with a very limited staff and an even more limited budget. She would like to hire more employees, but doing so just isn’t feasible right now. She also blames a lack of training of staff members. Henderson, however, would like the public to know that she is “closing the gap” slowly but surely.
“We’re doing a lot with little,” she said. “We’ve had to go back, and we’re still going back, working with auditors to research documents from 2009 and 2010 because processes were not filed. We’ll still working backwards from past administrations to get a clear record of progress that has been made since my administration,” she said.
Henderson said she would like to have more support from the Housing Board so she can run daily operations in personnel matters without interference and make other changes to help better the agency. So far, it has been an uphill battle, but she’s hoping that will change.
Henderson said she will continue to fight for what is best for the Housing Authority because she knows that the decisions she and board make will touch the lives of families in St. John Parish.
“In my position, I have to make tough decisions. I have to bring the best staff I can possibly bring to help me fulfill the vision of decent, safe and affordable housing in the parish. It cannot be business as usual. It has to be in accordance with federal guidelines,” she said.
“I’m about the business. I’m about what’s right and wrong and what’s in black and white. I don’t deter from that,” she added.